Although the authorities clearly did not do their job, where are this poor woman's children? Just as child abuse and neglect are punishable offenses, what about neglect of elderly parents by their grown children?

I cannot imagine what she did during the recent sirens... I am astounded that a student found it in his heart to do this. I really dont think I could have cleaned her apartment and to think that a group went to do it is amazing. They deserve a medal. It is a pity that they are the ones trying to help. Her family and social services should do something, should have done something long ago. Shame on them. Kol HaKavod to these students.

On one hand you're right but on the other not - my grandmother is a Holocaust survivor not in as bad a situation and there is absolutely no talking to her - she does not listen to a word anyone says and you need infinite patience to sit there trying to help someone when they always throw away what you have to say - the other issue is that the children tend to be wrapped up in their own emotional bs / past patterns and can't see past themselves when dealing - for example, many people can't change the very European dynamic of the parent is the boss no matter wha in their heads because it is too ingrained, or other more insidious emotional baggage like that. You can't judge. However, I still think that if the children couldn't handle it they needed to turn to outside help - my grandmother has a social worker now - but I spent years breaking my head screaming at my father and aunt to do something - they go in denial and can't deal with it. Things look like they are changing now after years but who knows.

Just continuing what I wrote before, even if the children are failing, you can't judge. Try telling a mentally ill Holocaust survivor what to do even if it helps them and see where it gets you - you may as well bang your head in the wall and yell for help. Only outside intervention can make a change. And even then it probably won't work most of the time unless you physically drag them from the house...

So, the daughter thinks it is perfectly acceptable to attribute her mother's situation to the fact that her mother is mentally ill and is incapable of taking care of herself. And that is supposed to be an excuse for allowing her mother to live in such dreadful conditions. The article seems to make the point that the woman is not indigent and that is why social services have not been brought into the picture.
If someone is mentally ill, then a conservator or a guardian needs to be appointed. If she should be maintained on certain medication, then it is the responsibility of others -- principally the daughter, I would say -- to make sure that this elderly, infirm woman takes the medication prescribed. Or the woman should be hospitalized, short-term if possible, longer-term if necessary, until her mental situation is stabilized. No one who survived the Holocaust should live in such deplorable conditions in their declining years. If they are incapable of taking care of themselves, then someone needs to do it for them -- principally the daughter, one would think, but anyone who could shirk the responsibility in the disgraceful manner that she did is not the best of all possible candidates.
If indeed the family has money, as is implied, the state should recoup every agorot it spends on restoring this woman to a decent existence.
And a big KOL HA'KAVOD to the young men and women who cared enough to do something about it.

The students who stepped in are an example of what this country needs more of. That being said~Take a Look Around this Country! It is not only survivors living in disgusting situations. Unless you have money, old age is worse than a death sentence.

to their parents.
I do wonder how this poor womans daughter living in BeerSheva and even those not in the immediate vicinity, allowed things to get so out of hand. Seems they didnt visit her, and who knows why. Maybe they have their reasons, maybe they have tried to get help , they couldnt afford a home or carer for her, so her case was "filed" by those who's job it is to investigate these things.
Our elderly rebuilt this country, they deserve respect for that.

Give me the dark ages.
We live in era of "chacun pour soi"
cause of all evil.
"Honour your mother" is one of the 10 commandments.
May be it is time to worship the Tora and to fulfill It's Mizvot.
This article will for sure not stay unnoticed in the foreign media.
And highly condemned.
Remember,Israel is expected to be the light under the nations.

she curses Hitler ever night, I think you have your answer there, I imagine what these people went through in that war is beyond traumatizing, and the fact the Nazis and Germans got away with it makes it even worse

Who are you to tell the daughter what to do and how to behabv ?? I am the holocaust survivor that you called liar not so long ago - not only was I an hidden child in Europe but I am as well second generation having had both parents very very sick survivors. Dont you ever give advice and dont you even comment on how and what we should and should not do. Now, once more you call me liar or whatever or insult me as you did some weks ago I will make sure to find out who you are, where you live and file a complaint againt you - so you will NEVER, NEVER comment anymore on Ynet regarding holocaust survivors. Got it ?????

People should hold judgment until all the facts are known. Perhaps her family did try to help and were faced with endless legal bureaucracy ... perhaps she was placed but her behavior caused severe disruption. No one knows... and a reporter should have investigated more... so why not wait to hear the truth? I hope there is a follow up story about this.
Those students? They are mensches...and Israel is blessed by their actions. They should be rewarded and I hope they will be blessed with good health and success in their lives for what they have done for this poor woman.

Unfortunately this kind of tragedy occurs. In all honesty I am not that surprised that she was left alone. The article inferred that she could be heard cursing Hitler, (may he be cursed for eternity) during the night, and that very likely frightened or annoyed those in closest proximity. After perhaps years of this behavior it would come as no surprise that those above would want her to 'just go away' and offer no help to her. The profound and disgusting thing to me is the daughters callous regard (dis) for her mother. There is just no excuse to have this woman, the very symbol of Israeli mistreatment in the world, living like this in her own country. Shame to the family. It is a crime to allow this here, and should be there. Never again.
Shalom Israel,
Rob

Only because an Arab woman is the property of her father until she is married. Then she becomes the property of her husband. When her husband dies, she becomes the property of her son.
Of course, if she sold her son to be a suicide bomber, she would then become the property of the nearest male relative.
Don't play holier-than-thou. Do you think we do not see the glaring poverty throughout the Arab world? What are your fellow Arabs in, say, Saudi Arabia or some other oil-soaked nations doing about it? Not a damned thing. What are they doing to alleviate the suffering of Arabs living in desperate poverty and desperate circumstances in, say, Egypt? Syria? Lebanon? Iraq? Jordan? Yemen?
The answer remains the same --- not a damned thing. They cannot be bothered.
That's what is ridiculous.

My parents (z"l) were Holocaust survivors. They had nightmares right up until they passed away.
That's why the Jewish people cannot let go of the Holocaust (nor should they). Successive generations have had to live with the horror. It will never go away, even when the last Holocaust survivor alive passes on.
Nor should it.

But her post #6 is 100% correct. This woman's children have neglected her, and it's inexecusable and a national shame, really. I am sorry you went through what you went through in the shoa, but that does not mean that Sara has no right to say her opinion here. She is right to say what she said.

It is so sad to see nowadays that something that should be normal (that is caring for people in need) becomes a heroic act. Yes hats off to the mensh who helped this old lady - but don't you think that if this behaviour would be a normal way of life, the world would be better a better place for all of us. The problem is that "empathy" is just a word in the dictionnary

They're the people with highest responsibility, no matter what the situation of a parent or family member is. You'd think at least one of her children would have organized things with social securities...

So you think it is acceptable that the homeland for the Jews set up on the ashes of the Holocaust should have allowed this lady to descend into the same horror that she endured at Auschwitz II Birkenau?
A lot of people have enriched themselves with Germany's blood money which is meant to care for the survivors, are you one?

The article implies she is not indigent, and the deplorable state in which she lives is the result of family inattention and, to a lesser extent, failure of social services to intervene (perhaps if the latter didn't have their hands full dealing with needy African illegals, this woman might not have fallen by the wayside).
There are quite a few Holocaust survivors who refused compensation and/or reparations. She might be one of them. Why not give her the benefit of the doubt?
Some of the most crooked politicians in the history of the State of Israel were leftist in political bent. Didn't you know that? Why are you so obsessed with money? Have you ever contemplated getting a job -- or a second job? Or are you merely content to complain that the State of Israel doesn't do enough for you?
Shimon Peres is the richest politician in all of Israel. Did you know that?
Where did you serve in the IDF? Alternatively, what type of national service did you perform in lieu of military service?